The invention generally relates to propulsion mechanisms for smaller, usually battery-powered vehicles, such as golf carts, wheel chairs, and portable personal mobility scooters for physically challenged individuals.
There is a need for more compact, less complicated, and lighter weight gear drive systems. These attributes are important, particularly with respect to smaller, typically battery powered vehicles, like wheelchairs or golf carts or personal mobility scooters.
The present invention provides a propelling, and optionally power steering, gear drive assembly that comprises two drive motors, each individually driving one propulsion element. The assembly accommodates transaxle-type mounting on a vehicle. By using two separate drive motors individually coupled to separate propulsion elements, instead of one drive motor coupled by a differential drive train to multiple propulsion elements, each drive motor experiences half the torque and requires half the current of a single drive motor at the same voltage. The gear drive assembly thereby enables the use of smaller, less expensive high speed motors, together totaling less expense than a single larger motor. Lighter weight, less complexity, and redundancy result in a small space.